


You Always Come Back

by AthelFlead13



Series: Penny Dreadful Epilogues [1]
Category: Penny Dreadful (TV)
Genre: Character death undone, F/M, Fix-It, Resurrection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-26
Updated: 2016-06-26
Packaged: 2018-07-18 09:57:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7310365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthelFlead13/pseuds/AthelFlead13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A fix-it for Vanessa's end. If Dracula always comes back, why not Vanessa? Also paints a more flattering picture of the night creatures.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Always Come Back

The night had progressed into darkness once more. The normal fog of the city had descended on the graveyard, and the night creatures had returned, though in smaller numbers. In the hours when the waning moon had set and the sun did not show its face, they did not feast or revel, but went about their lives as nature intended them to. An owl grabbed a rat in a death grip and carried it off to feed her young. The frogs of the pond in a nearby park joined in a loud chorus seeking mates to beget a slimy progeny with. A sleek black cat swatted her paw at a passing bat, missing only by a hair. A small fox had better luck, having found a large nest of eggs and sating its hunger on them. The wolves in their confining cages howled pitifully at their imprisonment.

John Clare was woken from his slumber near the lilies on the grave by a scuttling movement underneath him. It came from the earth. Startled awake, he quickly felt a small light of hope die, when from the earth there emerged a small, white scorpion. He watched as it scuttled off into the mist. He wrapped his arms around himself. Not so much for warmth, as for loneliness. He looked up into the sky. An increasing wind blew the mist aside for a moment and revealed the glittering stars.

"I imagine you looking disapprovingly down upon me from there, my friend," he said, then patted the dark earth. "You are not here, you do not sleep."

"Oh, but she does," A low voice suddenly spoke. A man emerged from the mist. He was tall and handsome, with a coat as dark as his eyes. John Clare did not know him. On his shoulder, the small, white scorpion was perched.

"who - "John started to say, but he was pushed aside by a force that seemed to come from the man's hand. This action seemed to displease the scorpion, as it stung the man's neck with its barbed tail. The man hissed softly at the sting.

"Very well, my love," he said. "He is of no concern to me anyway." He stepped forward towards the grave and swept the lilies aside. Then he plunged his hand into the dark earth, letting it swallow his arm until a loud, dull crack came from the grave. And when he drew his hand back out, he was holding onto the deadly pale, yet graceful hand of the body that lay there. The hand of Vanessa Ives, and it gripped his hand as tightly and tighter still. The scorpion ran along the man's arm, crawled along his hand until it reached Vanessa's. Then a second hand reached up from the dark soil, an arm reaching for another and the man grabbed on tight and pulled, and drew the arms, and body and face of Vanessa Ives from the dark earth into the night air. And when at last her body was exhumed, she lifted her foot and stepped out into the night.

John Clare looked in awe at the figure of his friend, clad in the black fabric of the deceased, torn open by the shards of her casket and covered in dirt. So was also her visage and her hair. All but her hands, which now stroked her saviour's face. He too, lifted his hand to wipe away the tears that were running down her cheeks. She put her hand behind his neck and pulled him close, pressing her lips against his. A kiss of gratitude, a kiss of relief. John saw it in her passion and her eagerness.

"Vanessa," he said softly. She broke off the kiss and looked at him, as if noticing him for the first time. Her eyes sunken, large, and seeming larger still by her dilated pupils. Staring at him like an owl into the darkness, she blinked, then smiled. Sharp teeth flashed briefly at him, a glimpse of a crescent moon in the darkness.

"Good evening, Mister Clare," she said. "I hope I did not frighten you."

She took her lover's hand and interlaced her fingers with his. He smiled as well, first at her and then at John. It was a warm smile, his face full of both fascination and understanding towards the undead creature.

"A pleasure to meet you, Mister Clare, my name is Dracula," he said. "My apologies for earlier. I hope that, given the circumstances, you can understand."

John Clare nodded, as he got to his feet.

"I can, I do," he said. "Thank you, Miss Ives, sir."

"Have a lovely evening," Dracula said in greeting.

"Goodbye, Mister Clare," said Vanessa. "I hope you will find your happiness. It may lurk in the place you least expect it." And she led her lover on, back into the mist. John Clare looked at them as they left.

"Goodbye," he said only when their figures had faded away completely.

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews are appreciated. I'm also working on some drafts for Dr Jekyll/Hyde, Catriona, and Dr. Seward. I might add these if I get inspired/motivated to finish them.


End file.
